Carter Tomassi joined the Great Speckled Bird as a photographer simply because since he first arrived in Atlanta he had been on the scene taking pictures of everything. And Carter was a very good photographer. Jan Jackson was an Earth Mother I first met at Oxford College. She moved to Atlanta where she and husband Tom Jones moved into what they helped become The Zoo on 8th at Penn. She befriended Carter at Piedmont Park one Mescaline Sunday and he became a fixture at The Zoo and concerts.
Now Carter maintains a website to show his pictures of Atlanta’s hip community and musical events. His pictures of Byron Pop Festival are the best.
Here is his site www.messyoptics.com
Drop by, say hello from The Strip project and enjoy the views.
I just met a couple who worked at the clinic on Peachtree around 1970. Doug worked for the CDC, helmet his wife Sallie there. Doug remembers the influx of heroin, and its impact on the community.
I remember as a young teen driving with my parents on a Sunday to ‘The Strip’ in downtown Atlanta to see the “Hippies”! My Mom said, “Lock the doors!” I said, “Hey, they are all about Peace!!!” This publication was sold by many on the street corners and I see that Carter was one of them! Thank you Carter for sharing all of the great photos! RR
Is CArter still around? I would like to inquire about some pictures of The Jefferson Airplane and other groups photographed.
Hot Tuna was one of the best bands to come from a main band that led the way in hard rock. They could play for hours and I am glad I saw them numerous times in the 70s and 60s.
sent word to him